In Australia, the Aboriginal cultures are so incredibly diverse that while one tribe or peoples may think that one animal is a trickster, others may not. I know white people have ascribed 'trickster' as a meaning to dingo, but I believe that was simply because someone heard about coyote's wisdom and then assumed that dingo must mean the same because it looks the same and it's the only mammalian dog that we have living on the mainland in a 'wild' state.
Australian Raven is also considered a trickster in some communities, and Crow is a prominent trickster, as is goanna (a large monitor lizard) and some other birds. I also believe that Thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger has also been considered a trickster spirit. That said, I'm not sure how many Aboriginal peoples had a conception of the 'trickster' in the same way the NA peoples did.
Aboriginals ascribe much totemic value to many animals, for example, Bandicoots and Kangaroos were here before humans and helped to create us in many mythologies, and before Bandicoots and Kangaroos, the Rainbow Serpent created all life - and then the Waugals (other divine Serpents) came and created all water.
As for Crow, he's probably the most prominent trickster I can think of, and a significant bird in the Aboriginal mythos (or at least, some of them). The Kooris believe that the Crow stole fire from the seven women guardians. He wouldn't give this fire to anyone, and when people asked, 'hey give us back the fire,' he said 'waa, waa.' One day he was pestered so much he threw some coals at some men, and caused the first bushfire.
This bushfire burnt him up black. But he survived, and now calls 'waa, waa,' to the skies in his eternal form. Crow was also made into a star - Canopus - by the All-Father Biame (in the same Koori mythos).
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branchandroot
Re: Just Dropping By
Date: 2006-11-20 12:52 pm (UTC)Australian Raven is also considered a trickster in some communities, and Crow is a prominent trickster, as is goanna (a large monitor lizard) and some other birds. I also believe that Thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger has also been considered a trickster spirit. That said, I'm not sure how many Aboriginal peoples had a conception of the 'trickster' in the same way the NA peoples did.
Aboriginals ascribe much totemic value to many animals, for example, Bandicoots and Kangaroos were here before humans and helped to create us in many mythologies, and before Bandicoots and Kangaroos, the Rainbow Serpent created all life - and then the Waugals (other divine Serpents) came and created all water.
As for Crow, he's probably the most prominent trickster I can think of, and a significant bird in the Aboriginal mythos (or at least, some of them). The Kooris believe that the Crow stole fire from the seven women guardians. He wouldn't give this fire to anyone, and when people asked, 'hey give us back the fire,' he said 'waa, waa.' One day he was pestered so much he threw some coals at some men, and caused the first bushfire.
This bushfire burnt him up black. But he survived, and now calls 'waa, waa,' to the skies in his eternal form. Crow was also made into a star - Canopus - by the All-Father Biame (in the same Koori mythos).